Comments on: MD Spotlight: Shelli’s 1976 Honda CB400F Supersport (News)http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/12/md-spotlight-shellis-1976-honda-cb400f-supersport/
Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike ReviewsSat, 10 Dec 2016 04:42:41 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1By: mechanicusshttp://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/12/md-spotlight-shellis-1976-honda-cb400f-supersport/comment-page-1/#comment-10390
Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:46:45 +0000http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=12380#comment-10390graduatiing from high school in 1976, and big into bikes, I vividly remember that bike. Very distinctly different look from the CB350F’s. We idolize them now, but the bottom line is not many people bought them, hence the short run. By then we were all buying CB500’s and CB750’s and turning them into “Cafe racers”, and the CB400F just felt smallish and not that fast. An RD350 would walk off and smoke a CB400F.

Speaking of high-revs – remember the CB175’s? I had one, a 1973, and it had a 10,500 RPM redline – dang, that little thing would WAIL at WOT. You could not resist THRASHING it. A local guy had one in a rigid frame and won a few local flattrack races with it and became somewhat famous in local circuits.

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Thu, 09 Dec 2010 01:57:29 +0000http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=12380#comment-9725My first true streetbike was a 1975 bright red CB400F and I put many happy miles on it. It taught me how to bevel the footpegs in tight corners and had a wonderful exhaust note at redline (10,000 rpm!). Wish I would have never sold it, it was a true classic.
]]>By: Daniel Hunterhttp://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/12/md-spotlight-shellis-1976-honda-cb400f-supersport/comment-page-1/#comment-9711
Thu, 09 Dec 2010 00:17:34 +0000http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=12380#comment-9711When I was in high school (Westchester, near LAX, ’73 – ’76), a fellow student would visit his friends in my auto-shop class with one of these, except he had cut (bent or both?) the bars way down, modified at least the pipes and probably a lot more, and other than the headlight, the whole thing was black (flat, mostly, IIRC), pipes and all, plus a few stickers here and there. He was of Asian ancestry and (again IIRC) sometimes wore something similar to a kamakazi pilot headband.

To me, it seemed to redline past 12k+ than just 10, and – being the first time I’d ever laid eyes on anything like an actual and entirely original (to me) “cafe racer,” – I thought for sure the guy was gonna get himself killed any day on it, if not any minute.

I was quite impressed but also shocked anyone had the guts to ride something so seemingly suicidal (this while my brother and I were mounting borrowed 6-71 blowers on our ’70 Z-28).

Great story. Great pics. I hope Shelli keeps her “400-4” the rest of her long and happy life. Thank you for sharing this great blast from the past. Hats off to all, especially Shelli.

]]>By: Aykhttp://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/12/md-spotlight-shellis-1976-honda-cb400f-supersport/comment-page-1/#comment-9476
Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:59:21 +0000http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=12380#comment-9476Congrats to Shelli on once again riding a gem. I bought a red one in 1975, broke it in for 100 miles, then rode it to Chicago and back from SoCal. My dad thought it was so cool, he sold his CL350 and bought one.
]]>By: joe broussardhttp://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/12/md-spotlight-shellis-1976-honda-cb400f-supersport/comment-page-1/#comment-9411
Mon, 06 Dec 2010 01:22:51 +0000http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=12380#comment-9411the 350/4 was even slower, but when the CB400f came out, the parts guy thought his was killer fast, but when he came out to race me on my old CB450 dohc torsion bar twin, and I did a burnout, he immediately said, “my bike wont do that”.
I think the 400F was the first bike we sold in numbers, that immediately came back wrecked from owners just riding them off the road. before that, any bike that was crashed had hit something.
the CB400f was the beginning of the “fashion bike” trend, and deservedly so.
]]>By: Wilson Rhttp://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/12/md-spotlight-shellis-1976-honda-cb400f-supersport/comment-page-1/#comment-9385
Sun, 05 Dec 2010 18:54:33 +0000http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=12380#comment-9385I wonder if Honda ever visits this site?

I had a Honda 350 Scrambler when I was 16 but always wanted a 400F. The tank and the header make this bike a beautiful thing. Since we are currently in the retro mindset (Mustang/Camaro/Mini/Norton/Indian etc..) it would be great if Honda took notice and offered a 400F to the masses. It would surely sell to young and old alike! Perhaps Honda is not interested in making money?

]]>By: demotos.com.cohttp://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/12/md-spotlight-shellis-1976-honda-cb400f-supersport/comment-page-1/#comment-9314
Sat, 04 Dec 2010 11:28:18 +0000http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=12380#comment-9314That’s not a bike is a piece of art
]]>By: Gabehttp://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/12/md-spotlight-shellis-1976-honda-cb400f-supersport/comment-page-1/#comment-9216
Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:25:46 +0000http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=12380#comment-9216Charlie at Charlie’s Place had the cases bead-blasted. She says she hasn’t ridden it much yet, which is why it still looks so clean, but she will soon.
]]>By: Glenhttp://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/12/md-spotlight-shellis-1976-honda-cb400f-supersport/comment-page-1/#comment-9212
Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:29:34 +0000http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=12380#comment-9212GREAT PICTURES! I love that bike. It was my first. I bought it new in 76. It was stolen in 79. Has anyone seen it? Clubman bars, Tommaselli grips, Koni Aluminum shocks and Conti-twins tires or yeah, and Kaw Z-1 mirrors.
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